Growing for the Future
Joyce & grandchildren with layout for a raised garden bed
It has been an exciting week as Joyce's kitchen garden has started to come to life.
While many of us are shoveling snow and scraping ice, our team in Uganda is planting and digging. It's summer there, with temps in the low 80s, and the timing couldn't be better!
Joyce is raising five grandchildren on her own. When our team met her two years ago, it was clear the family needed support.
Joyce has ongoing health challenges and a back injury, and can no longer work in the fields. In the past, she grew and sold food to support the family.
We initially provided emergency food relief, but we knew the family needed something more sustainable.
Over the past year, we have seen many more elderly grandparents taking on the care of their grandchildren and struggling to provide them with enough food. Similar to Joyce, they can no longer work long hours growing crops in a large garden that is a distance from their home.
Joyce's garden is the model and first of many that we'll be building.
Thanks to donor support, Joyce now has goats that will provide long-term income, and a kitchen garden designed to supply food year-round. The garden uses raised beds and containers close to the home, making it manageable and productive even with limited mobility.
The initial digging taking place and the metal raised bed was delivered!
This program is a partnership with Rotary Clubs in the U.S. and Uganda, with local Rotary members in Kamuli supporting planning and planting.
Our initial goal is to build 10 gardens for female-headed households, which will benefit more than 50 children. Each garden costs about $770 and includes training, ongoing support, crop rotation planning, and organic pest control. Our team is working with a local agriculture agent who has extensive knowledge and experience.
We plan to add goats and chickens to each project to further strengthen food security. The animals provide income, fertilizer, and natural pest control.
I'll continue posting updates and photos on social media, and I look forward to sharing progress with you! For those of you who are gardeners, you can enjoy the pics and videos while you're waiting for the snow to melt!
With Gratitude,
Mary
P.S. If this project resonates with you or if you know a group that might want to sponsor a garden, I would love to connect. These partnerships are what make lasting change possible.
